Message for April 2020
By Sarah-Jane Grace
It would be extremely challenging to write anything about the month ahead without acknowledging the current global pandemic. It would feel a little like I’m burying my head in the sand! It’s a time of great uncertainty for so many, a time of great loss and there’s a huge tsunami of fear and angst as the life we’re all used to living is upturned on its head – almost overnight. Everything we once took for granted now feels like a privilege, perhaps an important reminder for many of us as to just how lucky we truly are. This is a virus that doesn’t recognise gender, race, wealth or nationality, it’s become an equaliser of humankind.
As the cities sleep and the world retreats, there is a sense that we’re allowing the earth to breathe again. It goes without saying that this is a time for healing, from each of us individuals, as well as a collective effort. Not just to those who are sick, but to those essential workers saving lives, as well as to each other. April looks set to be a month where the momentum of connection will continue to grow stronger and brighter. Although many of us are physically disconnected, energetically and emotionally we are growing closer and more entwined.
For many the stillness is disconcerting, but it brings us a potent reminder of just how busy our lives usually are. Suddenly so many of us find ourselves with space and time, neither of which we often have in abundance. We may struggle to adjust to the changes we are now living, but it’s important to knuckle down and do everything we need to do in order to find a way through this.
Much has been said about returning to ‘normality’, but perhaps this time of retreat and quiet is an opportunity for each of us to think about the kind of normality we actually want to return to. This global shift is a chance for us to reset the balance and learn to live in harmony with one another and the earth once again. At the moment, countries, scientists, medics and businesses are coming together in unity, we now all need to do the same. We have spent so long divided and fractured, this is an opportunity to heal those wounds as to become united, not separate. Of course, we are all individuals, but surely it’s not about being European, American, Asian, Black, White, Straight, Gay…it’s about the one thing that unquestionably unites us all – being human.
April looks set to be a month where we head towards the culmination of a profound and intense journey, and although we may feel as though we are trying to navigate our way through a box of dynamite whilst carrying a lit match, there is also a growing sense of excitement rising up from deep within as we feel alive with possibility and potential. Although this virus is taking so much away from us, it’s also bringing us a great deal as well.
It is hard to articulate the true essence of this shift as it goes beyond vocabulary and understanding; we can feel, hear and taste the change, but we can’t, as yet, touch it or see it. As a result, there is an air of cautious expectation as we can sense a new path ahead, but we have no idea what’s around the corner. Intuitively we can feel the eagerness within our hearts and souls to stride forth renewed and invigorated but, at the same time, we are more than aware of the need to walk very carefully through that dynamite as every step, shake of the hand and cough matters! This feels as much spiritual, as it is physical and emotional, it’s quite profound as so much is at stake.
Dynamite has a habit of breaking down seemingly immovable objects, and whilst dropping the lit match isn’t advisable, there is a sense that we are ready now to clear the way of debris: of outdated beliefs, of false hopes and of linear thinking. It’s as though we have all been ignoring the signs for years and now the dynamite has arrived to make us all stop and think, and we realise the gravity of the situation.
Whilst trying to seek out a higher or deeper meaning for this pandemic may help some, I’m not sure it’s the wisest approach as each of us will ultimately find our own learning and wisdom from this. Whilst we’re clearly all in this together, we each have our own learning to do as well as reaching together towards unity. Many of us have spent years trying to reach a point of awakening or breakthrough; it takes courage, faith and a willingness to let go in order to clear the way, but it is ‘letting go’ that so often thwarts so many as it involves truly going into a kind of free fall which so many fear as it’s so unknowable. Yet, this freefall is upon on us and it’s now up to each of us as to how we move forward. It’s time to have faith and belief in ourselves to realise that we absolutely have what it takes to be the wonderful, beautiful and compassionate souls that we know ourselves to be.
In many ways, the dynamite and lit match represent the fear so many of us carry in connection to letting go and stepping into unchartered terrain. We hold back as it seems logical not to let the dynamite and match meet, but here we find ourselves, life has literally pushed us all together into this situation. If we all work together, we can dampen the flames and find hope. Together.
So, despite the uncertainty, this is a time for humankind to unite; to let go of the ‘them and us’ mentality and to find new ways to let love and compassion flow freely. April looks like a month of intensity, but it’s also a month for new beginnings as we shed the old and open up our hearts and souls to the ‘unknowableness’ of the moment…
As mentioned last month, we are not insular beings, we are each being pushed towards awakening fully in order to wholeheartedly acknowledge that every choice has a consequence. It’s time to connect consciously to the world and to channel love and compassion to everywhere it is needed. The time is now…
I wish you all kinds of wonderful.
With love,
Sarah-Jane
Aries
April looks set to be a month for bringing your focus firmly into the present moment in order to live more consciously and in more connected ways. It’s time to make some important decisions about what’s truly valuable in your life. You have been on fast-forward for such a long time, so it’s been easy for you to be focused on keeping on keeping on, dealing with quantity rather than quality as you’ve worked so hard to be everything to everyone. You have always had a strong sense of self, as well as a clear sense of direction and purpose in life, whilst you have had times when confused has blurred the edges, when you’ve taken a deep breath, you’ve found your centre once again. This is special time for you to acknowledge any ripples or undercurrents of discontentment in the areas of your life that you know are out of kilter; you have a strong sense of duty and responsibility, even when it means self-sacrificing your own needs and freedom.
Whilst you are a giving, compassionate and loving soul, it is important that you work towards achieving more balance in your life as you cannot keep on self-sacrificing and giving without ending up feeling depleted and under-resourced. You have always tried to do your best and to be the best, but there is a strong sense of ‘ought’ in this mix, that you feel somehow obligated to be the person you feel you are expected to be. It’s time to remember that you are vibrant, passionate and a free spirit, and this side of you is longing to dance freely in life once again. So, have a good think about your life and the ways in which you can restore some balance, as this is your time to start a new chapter in your life…
Taurus
Life is unpredictable and unknowable at the best of times, now so even more. Yet, your resourcefulness and open-mindedness allow you to more readily accept the inevitability of change than most, and this means you are more willing to ride the ebb and flow of the currents in life with courage and determination. In many ways, you are so used to navigating the unchartered waters of change that you have not only learnt how to sail, but you have also mastered the art of surfing! In short, little truly fazes you as your resolve allows you to find acceptance in change and strength from challenge. You know only too well that change isn’t always positive, sweet and rosy, sometimes it can be arduous, stormy and wild. Whilst this can be unnerving and unsettling, you seem confident to find ways to thrive even when there is no solid ground beneath your feet.
Obviously, it’s important to rest and take stock whenever you can, but you seem to thrive when the going gets tough. Yet, despite the uncertainty and unpredictability, a strength is rising up within you allowing you to walk more consciously through life and embrace the moment more mindfully than ever before. This takes courage and self-belief, and whilst you do have your moments when you doubt yourself, it’s important to realise just how magnificent you truly are. This isn’t about ego, it’s about acknowledging just how much you contribute to life. At the same time, the more you let go of the desire to try to control or resist change, the more you are able to make the most of every moment and stop worrying about what may, or may not, lie ahead. It’s time to trust your wisdom and to let your heart and soul guide you; live in the moment and remember to ‘be here now’…
Gemini
There are times in your life when a plethora of different pathways, memories, experiences and thought processes merge together into a more cohesive whole, and such moments allow you to distil and condense these experiences into wisdom and learning. Sometimes these moments of coming together move gracefully and align in perfect harmony, but sometimes they collide like icebergs, crashing together with great force and power. Of course, most of the time, they are so subtle that you don’t even notice them. However, lately you cannot help but notice there have been lots of icebergs in your line of sight on the horizon heading in your general direction. As a result, there is an air of anticipation rising up from deep within your being, a sense of challenging times ahead but, at the same time, there is also a sense of inner knowing; a feeling that everything is as it should be.
Even when change is big and carrying the force of those icebergs, it doesn’t mean that it’s a bad thing; you are a great procrastinator and often spend your time hovering on the periphery waiting for the right moment to jump in, but sometimes you need more force behind you to gently ‘encourage’ you to step from where you are to where you intuitively know you need to be. It’s time to let your truth find its own way and to realise your true worth. You are ready to live wholeheartedly and more in accordance to your beliefs and ideals. You have spent so long trying to be the person you felt you ought to be, but it’s time now to be the person you truly are. You’ve let go of so much and allowed your true self the space to emerge freely without expectation or judgement. It’s time now to be you…
Cancer
There is a stillness that resides at the heart of your being, it’s the force the brings you balance, guidance and hope. This stillness is a place to rest and a place to seek guidance, a place to contemplate and a place to make plans. Most of the time, this stillness lives quietly in the corner of your soul; it doesn’t advertise its presence, it just waits, unnoticed and unacknowledged for you to notice it. It never leaves you, but when your life gets hectic, you can forget its existence. It doesn’t ask much of you, it just is a part of you. It therefore seems a shame that you so often overlook your inner stillness as this is a powerful way for you to re-align your life and to re-define your dreams. The stillness may look empty, but it’s in the quietness where true riches reside, as it’s the lack of distraction and clutter (things to do, people to see and places to go) that allows you to see clearly.
Even though your life may feel anything other than still or quiet, April is a month for you to consciously reconnect to this inner stillness in order to find a new way of living and being. As your priorities shift and you begin to re-think what you truly want from life, it’s the stillness that holds the answers, for it isn’t empty, it’s full of colour, energy and life. It’s only when you slow down, pause and take a breath that inspiration comes to you; the rest of time you are running on fast forward, keeping on keeping on. You have reached a new crossroads and it’s time now to let go of the distractions and to breathe deeply in order to re-shape and re-define your life from the inside, out…
Leo
You have spent a great deal of time trying to unravel and unpick the knots and tangles within your heart and soul. You have been on many a personal quest to find the end of that inner ball of string, trying to find out why things are the way they are, and wanting to know the true meaning of your life. There have been times when the focus has been so intense, you have lost sight of the daily humdrum pedestrian nature of life as layer upon layer has been peeled back, exposing your true essence and being. In some ways, you have stepped beyond the ordinary into a new layer of consciousness as nothing seems the same anymore. It’s as though the things that once seemed so important now fall into the background as new dreams and passions surface. The pace of shift is rapid and there are moments when you feel as though you’ve been knocked off of your feet, but whilst it’s been challenging at times, intuitively you know the need for this process as you are ready to live your life in more enriching and positive ways.
It can be hard to lovingly accept yourself: quirks, complexities and imperfections included, but you know it’s the only path to self-liberation. Of course, the more tangles and knots you unpick, and the more layers you peel back, the more complexities and imperfections you discover, but you are beginning to love these wholeheartedly as they are the things that make you special and unique, talented and effervescent. Life is rarely straightforward, but you are well prepared to navigate the many twists and turns you’ve faced. It’s important to remember that you’re not on a quest for perfection, it’s a desire to understand yourself more deeply. This is a time for you to love yourself wholeheartedly exactly as you are…
Virgo
This is a time to take stock of your meanderings in life, to contemplate more deeply the choices you’ve made, as well as the one’s you haven’t. There is a sense that you are acknowledging the worth and value of going ‘off map’ where you have wandered away from your plans and found yourself in unchartered terrain. Whilst you are wise enough to know that you can never always be sure of what lies around each corner, at the same time, you are still most content in familiar territory as you can find change disruptive on every level of your being. Of course, you know that change is an inevitable part of life, but you still prefer to keep things as smooth and balanced and possible as the disequilibrium you experience runs far deeper than most could even begin to comprehend. It’s not that you’re resistant to change, far from it in fact, it’s just that you are very finely tuned so change can upset the apple cart of your life relatively easily.
Whilst you are usually quite robust, it is important not to ignore any inner imbalance as taking care of yourself is vital for your well-being. At the same time, try not to be concerned when you deviate away from your ‘grand plan’ of life, as it’s often the unchartered terrain where the true gifts reside. It’s time to start allowing the waves of anticipation and hope to flow freely as you approach a new chapter in your life. Allow yourself to feel lighter and more expansive as you are being given a powerful opportunity to re-think your goals and priorities. You’ve moved beyond the need to get life ‘right’, and feel able to set yourself free as you allow your intuitive, creative free spirit more room to wiggle, wriggle and dance…
Libra
As you continue to find ways to make peace with your inner nature, you are beginning to accept that the whirring busy-ness in your mind is a part of your ‘normal’. You are one of life’s thinkers and your thoughts are often way ahead of others as thinking ‘outside of the box’ is how you flourish and thrive. This can be challenging as you’re frequently on a different wavelength to most of those around you; and this can leave you feeling a little alienated or feeling as though you are on the edge rather than at the heart of things. However, intuitively you know that this is exactly how things are supposed to be as you know that everything comes together when needed. It’s time to trust your gifts more and to realise that the things that make you ‘different’ are actually the things that ultimately build bridges and open up new doorways of opportunity for you.
You have now reached a time to take a big deep breath in order to take stock of the path you have walked, the path you are walking and the path you hope to walk. It’s time to stretch out your arms towards something new as you turn head-on to face the powerful period of change heading in your direction. As your awareness expands and your mind starts to re-shape and re-define the experience, you will slowly begin to find ways to articulate the essence of this shift, but for now, it’s important to trust your intuition and to take each day as it comes. Although your curiosity wants to know more, you can feel the wisdom in allowing this change to unfold in its own time and in its own way. This isn’t about quietening your mind, it’s about becoming one with it and allowing it to re-tune in perfect harmony with your body and soul…
Scorpio
April looks set to bring you some powerful revelations in connection to your creativity and intuition, and how you can use them more effectively in your life. Whilst you have always been intuitive, there is a sense that you are growing increasingly more aware of all aspects of yourself and your life; it’s as though you are somehow more awake and in-tune, more connected and open-hearted. Of course, there have been many times in your life when you’ve felt a distinct absence of your intuition, particularly when you’ve been busy, challenged or stressed, but every time you’ve paused and taken a deep breath, your intuition has re-surfaced, shining a light to guide you forwards. You have found yourself increasingly busy lately with things to do, people to see and places to go, and this distraction has left you feeling even more disconnected from your inner self, but you are now entering a time where it’s really important to be more centred and balanced in order to make some pivotal choices as to your path ahead.
Although there will still be plenty of distractions, you need to ask yourself if they’re really essential or if they’re there just as a way to occupy your time or to keep you away from looking more deeply at yourself and your life. It’s time to be honest with yourself as you are now entering a chapter of your life where you need to be sure of your motivations in order to make some important choices as to what you truly want from your life. Distractions can sometimes make for a quieter and easier life, but your creative essence is chomping at the bit to have some freedom. It’s time to throw open the doors to your soul in order to face your true essence and to listen to your phenomenal intuition to guide you…
Sagittarius
Contemplating the bigger picture of your life has enabled you to see both yourself and your life from a new perspective. When you gaze into the mirror, you no longer see the same person smiling back at you, as you’ve shifted into a completely different space. Things that once seemed important have now drifted out of your consciousness allowing you to focus on your true priorities. April looks set to be a time to continue to de-clutter your life, as well as letting go of a great deal of the ‘trappings’ that have come to form a part of your everyday. What once seemed important really doesn’t seem to matter so much as it’s the simpler things you long for, whether it’s being with those you love or listening to a bird in song. This shift looks set to echo into most areas of your life as you begin to make some big decisions as to how you want to live, breathe and be.
In truth, you have been waiting for quite some time to have the energy and momentum to make changes, so you seem more than ready. However, wanting change and then implementing it are quite different! It’s important that you’re clear as to what you want to achieve as it’s the clarity of your vision that will help you shape and define your path ahead. Your inner world is undergoing great shift, including your creativity, your emotions and your spirituality, and this is leading to some profound inner revelations and self-discovery. That rut you’ve been stuck in for so long suddenly seems to have vanished, but it may take you a short while to realise that you no longer need to pull against the current as you are now riding on the crest on the wave. This is your time to shine…
Capricorn
You have spent a great deal of your life bending and flexing with the winds of change in other people’s lives. At the same time, you have mastered the art of trying to do the ‘right’ thing by accommodating the wants, needs and wishes of others, frequently sacrificing your own wishes in the process. As a result, you have become very focused on the business of keeping on keeping on, as life has become a ‘to do’ list rather than a ‘let’s live life to the fullest’ list. Of course, you may feel that living life to the fullest is indulgent and a fantasy, yet does it have to be? Take a moment to breathe through that practical layer of bluster that allows you to get things done, but prevents you from listening to your own intuition. You bluster because that’s how you manage to juggle so much for so many, and you bluster because you’re used to doing it. So, pause, breathe deeply and reconnect to the passion that resides within your heart and soul.
You are so frequently focused on others that you can forget to check in with yourself and your inner world, and whilst being everything to everyone is admirable, it really is time for you to start being everything to yourself as well. You matter! Life doesn’t have to be ‘all work and no play’, it can be an enriching blend of experiences that both enhance and nurture you, as well as those around you. Life isn’t just about others, it’s about you too. Try not taking life so seriously for a while, ease up on the pressure you place on your shoulders to do more, be more and achieve more and learn how to cultivate the essence of self-compassion as this is your time to bend and flex in tune with your own beautiful and magnificent orchestra…
Aquarius
As you continue to embrace the concept of acceptance, there is a sense that you are beginning to focus more wholeheartedly on the present moment rather than constantly pushing yourself to achieve perfection in all areas of your life. Whilst perfection inspires you, it can also leave you frozen in a state of imperfection as there’s a risk that nothing you do ever feels like it’s enough. This has to stop! It’s time to let go of the high expectations and instead replace them with a growing sense of acceptance of where you are in the here and now. This isn’t a sign of ‘giving up’, it’s a willingness to live more consciously in each and every moment. It doesn’t stop you from having dreams, it simply re-focuses you to be loving and kind towards yourself and acknowledging your many different gifts and talents. If you always keep your focus on the horizon, how can you ever know how you’re doing now?
Having a pedestal to aspire to sit on is all well and good, but when you keep pushing the seat up higher and higher, how are you ever going to reach it? In other words, stop pushing yourself so hard and start showing yourself some compassion. For an enlightened soul, you so find it hard to use that wisdom on yourself! Sometimes trying to push ahead can become a brick wall preventing you from moving and it’s only when you step back with compassion that you can see a new pathway to follow. It seems clear that you need some breathing space in order to re-shape and re-define your life, but you also need to re-shape and re-define the expectations you have of yourself as you are a vibrant and creative soul, and being free is the best gift you can give yourself now…
Pisces
It seems you have been wrestling with a storm that’s been raging at the core of your soul, you have been caught up in the howling winds and the torrential rain, leaving you feel disorientated and overwhelmed. There have been times when you’ve felt as though there is no respite from the storm as it hasn’t abated, and this has consumed you with a sense of confusion and bewilderment as to what to do. Although you’re standing in the rain, caught up in the storm of your everyday life, it’s easy to miss the shelter that’s behind you, offering you dry, warmth, and comfort. It’s not that you particularly want to get wet, it’s just that events have overtaken you and it’s hard to see the wood for the trees. This is understandable as you are deeply empathic, so you are inadvertently ‘sucking up’ a great deal of angst from other sources, however, there comes a time when standing in the storm serves no real purpose other than leaving you to get wet. In other words, why stand outside when there’s a perfectly good shelter to rest in?
These are tumultuous times, but life doesn’t have to feel cold and inhospitable, as there is warmth and love beside you, and within you. Of course, this storm has whipped up a great deal, so you are understandably feeling somewhat overcome with it all, but this is also a time to find new ways to live your life. The storm is only partly due to world events, it’s mainly due to you reaching the end of a chapter in your life. You are ready now to cuddle up in the warmth of your soul and find sustenance from within. It’s time to channel your energy, creativity and passion into a new direction now as you lovingly accept your gifts and your true essence…
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